SOME MEDICINAL WILDINGS 



Among Spanish Califomians an herb of the 

 Pacific Coast believed useful in fevers is Canchala- 

 gua, or as the Americans call it "Wild Quinine 

 {Erythraea venusta, Gray). It is of the Gentian 

 family, whose characteristic bitterness it possesses ; 

 and is one of the most charming of western spring 

 flowers, common on dry hillsides throughout much 

 of California — the bright pink blossoms with a yel- 

 low eye borne in terminal clusters upon plants a 

 few inches to two feet high, with lance-shaped leaves 

 in opposite pairs. Of the same family and some- 

 what similar in appearance but with leaves clasping 

 a quadrangular stem is the American Centaury 

 (Sahbatia angularis, Pursh.) , common on the Atlantic 

 side of the continent from Canada to Florida. The 

 dried herb is intensely bitter, and is popular among 

 old-fashioned folk for its tonic properties. 



One of the most interesting plants of the Pacific 

 Coast is a beautiful evergreen forest tree, known 

 variously as California Bay, California Laurel, 

 Pepperwood and Oregon Myrtle {Umhellularia Cal- 

 if ornica [H. & A.] Nutt.). It is a member of the 

 Laurel family (to which the Sassafras, the Old 

 World Bay and the Camphor-tree belong) and is 

 characterized by a strong, pungent odor given off 

 from the crushed leaves, somewhat suggesting bay 



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